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DEVELOPMENT OF COMPOSITES BASED ON RENEWABLE MATERIALS FOR APPLICATION IN CONSTRUCTION
Respect for the environment and sustainable development are two values that are becoming increasingly important in our society, so the use of renewable resources for the development of new materials can provide partial solutions to the environmental problems that are normally associated with polymers derived from petroleum.
The main aim of this project is to develop composites based on totally renewable materials for their possible use in construction. With this end in mind, poly matrix composites (lactic acid) and lignocellulose fibres were manufactured. A preliminary study is also being planned using renewable materials such as starch and proteins.
Most composites that currently exist on the market are made using non-degradable fibres and polymer matrices. Synthetic polymers are made from non-renewable and limited sources such as petroleum. Furthermore, polymers derived from petroleum are not broken down easily in the environment.
Fibres are used to strengthen polymer materials and improve their mechanical properties. Specifically, natural fibres offer great advantages such as their high availability in any region of the world and the fact that they are totally biodegradable. They present good specific properties owing to their low density (1.4-1.5 g/cm3). When compared to fibreglass, when handling these materials, the level of irritation of the skin and airways is lower, and the processing machines suffer from far lower levels of wear and tear.
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DEVELOPMENT OF COMPOSITES BASED ON RENEWABLE MATERIALS FOR APPLICATION IN CONSTRUCTION
SITUATION: Completed
Financing: Universidad del País Vasco, Proyectos Universidad – Empresa, convocatoria 2007
Collaboration: Universidad del País Vasco
Date of presentation: December, 2007
Date of beginning: January, 2008
Date of ending: December, 2009